Sound Magic E10

Sound Magic is a company that gives you a lot of bang for your buck and the E10’s are a testament to that fact. Upon my first listen to these I was blown away by the sound and after looking at the price tag (just under $40), I immediately made the purchase.

Sound

These have the sound equivalent to that of over-ear headphones, even more so when you switch the ear-tips from the silicon ones provided to a noise-isolating foam material. The bass response is incredibly full, the highs are ultra-crisp, but the mid-range is somewhat subdued. They’re also extremely loud and the treble can become somewhat shrill at high volumes. These are all good things for the types of music I use them for, such as hip-hop and bass-heavy alternative. The only thing I’m not a fan of is that there seems to be a certain amount of cross feed, meaning the stereo spacing isn’t all it could be. However, this does help to create a more focused and driving sound stage.

Comfort/Fit

When I first tried these out, the tips weren’t very comfortable for my ear, but when it comes to In-ear monitors, fit is all subjective. I think it’s a nice touch that Sound Magic includes a bag of 6 different pairs of tips, including some double-flanged silicon tips. They really give you everything you would need in order to get the right fit, but I still opted for the foam tips for the increase in bass response.

Versatility

Musically, these ear buds lend themselves to more energetic musical styles. They have enough definition to be used for classical or jazz, but the sound signature can make these types of tracks seem overly compressed. In practical application, these ear buds are very travel-friendly, as most ear buds are. Thanks to their durable build, these have become my go-to pair of ear buds for general use, which I keep on me at all times.

Value

At just under $40 dollars, these in-ear monitors tend to out shine most others in the same price range, and rival those at twice the price. These are also one of the only ear buds I’ve found that give you 6 pairs of tips in different styles and sizes. Most notably, they’re build is very solid and the materials used seem to be of high quality.

Conclusion

These are great if you’re looking for an inexpensive pair of ear buds with great sound for bass-heavy, energetic music. They might not be the best suited for listening to softer music, but those listeners could always look to Sound Magic’s in-ear monitors with moving arm aperture drivers, opposed to the E10’s moving voice coil.